New England Seabirds

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Results | Seawatch winter 2000 -2001 Help | Comments | Site Map

Seawatch
Winter
2000 -2001

Behind this picture is a dedicated teacher who shared her love of birds with her students. .
7/10/2001 Plum Island Parking Lot 6 - Rick Heil
A stiff sea breeze and light fog this afternoon between 1330-1530 hrs produced a modest flight of seabirds off the beach at PLUM ISLAND, viewed from the end of the boardwalk at lot 6. All were flying south into Ipswich Bay, and most were quite close to shore. Manx Shearwater (3) Wilson's Strorm-Petrel (24) Northern Gannet (13) Parasitic Jaeger (1-probable 3S)-briefly pursued a WISP. Laughing Gull (1ad.) Least Tern (14+)
7/8/2001 Dovekie at Cape Ann Resighted
I watched a breeding-plumaged DOVEKIE off Forty Steps Beach, near East Point, Nahant for more than thirty minutes this afternoon around 3 PM. It was about 800-1000 feet offshore, swimming on the water, never diving, and twice raising and flapping it's wings. Eventually it flew off and rounded East Point to the SE of my position. Using a Kowa 20-60 zoom, there was little problem identifying this bird. The Dovekies very small size, disproportionately big-headed appearance, entirely black hood cutting evenly across the chest, black back and wings (I could not make out any fine white streaks on the back caused by white edged scapulars), white underparts, short, stubby bill, all dark underwings, and narrow white trailing edge to the secondaries all were evident. This bird was first discovered at Bass Point (nearly 2.5 miles from where I saw it today) by Janet Jokela back on 23 June and posted to Massbird by Steve Grinley. Although there are previous summer records for Dovekie in MA, unseasonable reports of this alcid always raise eyebrows. The Dovekie showed no indication of being oiled or unhealthy, and appeared quite alert to passing gulls. I didn't head to Nahant to look for this bird today, although the recent report was in the back of my mind. I think I was extremely lucky to have found it! Other birds seen in Nahant this afternoon: Wilson's Storm-Petrel (3)-off Forty Steps; new Nahant bird for me, but not particularly surprising. Northern Gannet (45+)-all immatures. Double-crested Cormorant (500+) GREAT CORMORANT (1-first summer)-Egg Rock. White-winged Scoter (7) Whimbrel (1)-flying SW past East Pt. Least Sandpiper (9) Laughing Gull (4ads.) Bonaparte's Gull (2; 1ad.,1-1S) Common Tern (4) Barn Swallow (40+) Rick Heil S.Peabody,MA rsheil@juno.com
6/24/2001 Sakonnet Point
Bob Emerson From the parking lot at Sakonnet Point in Little Compton, Sunday 6/24, as the fog was lifting from 7:15AM to 8:15 AM, I had the following seabirds: NORTHERN GANNET-2 WILSON'S STORM-PETREL - 3 CORY'S SHEARWATER - 2 POMARINE JAEGER - 9. This was a single flock (8 light phased birds, one dark) that materialized in the fog between Sakonnet Point and Sachuest Point, milling around and eventually drifting south towards the lighthouse. About 20 minutes later, a group of 4, presumed to be part of the same original 9, appeared from off the Sakonet Point light, headed towards Sachuest, settled on the water for a few minutes, and then flew off in a SW direction. There is a fair amount of fish trap activity occuring around Sakonnet Point which may be attracting some of these birds closer to shore with the fog.
6/24/2001 Dovkie at Cape Ann
I received a belated reported from BBC member Janet Jokela, formerly of Nahant and who now lives in Illinois, of a dovekie off Nahant this past Saturday evening. Janet was visiting friends at the Bass Point apts in Nahant when she spotted the dovekie "maybe 30 yds offshore" from her friend's deck, looking north, towards East Point. It was heading eastward, out to the tip of the point. She viewed the dovekie for some time through binoculars and gave an excellent description of this bird in full breeding plumage. Those of you who know Janet, know her as an excellent birder. She was first to spot the common crane out her way a year or two ago and I've since dubbed her "the crane lady". As any good birder does, however, she questioned what a dovekie would be doing in Nahant at this time of year and wondered if there were any other similar records? Steve Grinley Bird Watcher's Supply & Gift Newburyport, MA BirdWSG@aol.com
5/27/2001 Rick Heil Andrews Point
Rather light E-NE winds (10-20 mph) did nevertheless produce a few birds this morning between 0620 and 1100 hrs. Red-throated Loon (6) Common Loon (8) Sooty Shearwater (1) Manx Shearwater (4) Northern Gannet (44): all sub-adults. Double-crested Cormorant (23) Great Cormorant (1-Ist yr.): latest record to date here. Common Eider (9) Surf Scoter (1) White-winged Scoter (7) Parasitic Jaeger (1 ad.) Laughing Gull (3 ads.) Herring Gull (23) Great Black-backed Gull (35) Black-legged Kittiwake (1-1S) Black Guillemot (2): 1 ad. breeding plumage; 1-1S: black body like breeding adult but with retained dusky barring on white wing patch. Rick Heil S.Peabody,MA rsheil@juno.com
4/13/2001 Rick Heil Andrews Point Seawatch
Since coastal storms are infrequent during April I have only done three previous seawatches during this month over the years. Yesterdays storm was rather weak producing only light ESE winds 10-20, with a few gusts to 25 mph. Although it produced no surprises at all, nevertheless a new April high was established for Razorbill at Andrew's Point, and the Thick-billed Murres were the latest to date. The count of Oldsquaws was typical, it being one of the few seaducks to appear here in numbers during the spring migration. Red-throated Loon (10) Common Loon (8): One w/ a red band and a silver F&W band. Northern Gannet (30 ads.) Great Cormorant (7) Double-crested Cormorant (8) Common Eider (83) Harlequin Duck (13) Surf Scoter (10) White-winged Scoter (5) Black Scoter (36) Oldsquaw (224) Red-breasted Merganser (6) Merlin (1) Purple Sandpiper (7) Herring Gull (33) Great Bl-b. Gull (19) Black-legged Kittiwake (1ad.) large alcid sp.(4) Thick-billed Murre (3) Razorbill (114) Black Guillemot (1) Rick Heil S.Peabody,MA rsheil@juno.com
3/30/2001 Rick Heil Cape Ann
Results of Andrew's Point, Rockport seawatch today from 0710-1330 hrs. Weather: E winds 20-40 mph, rain, visibility 3/4 to 2+miles. Was surprised not to see some fulmars today although the winds have been blowing in earnest only since around daybreak, perhaps not long enough to force fulmars inshore. Red-thr. Loon (14) Com. Loon (6) Horned Grebe (3) Red-necked Grebe (3) Northern Gannet (4): 3 ads, 1-3W. Great Cormorant (9) Black Duck (6) RING-NECKED DUCK (1m.) Com. Eider (141) KING EIDER (1-1W male)-Flew past NW to SE. Harlequin Duck (15) Surf Scoter (12) White-winged Scoter (10) Black Scoter (44) Oldsquaw (22) Com. Goldeneye (5) Red-breasted Merganser (21) Herring Gull (33) Great Bl-b. Gull (14) Black-legged Kittiwake (10; 1ad., 9-1W) large alcid sp. (50) murre sp (1)-BP Thick-billed Murre (2) Razorbill (536) Black Guillemot (5) Rick Heil S.Peabody,MA rsheil@juno.com
3/27/2001
Jan St. Jean had a male KING EIDER at Point Judith this morning..
3/25/2001 Gloucester
The Common Murre was present at Jodrey Pier this morning bet. 8:30 and 10:30.Bird was brown overall, esp. head and neck. It presented a much more upright posture in direct comparison to TBMurre, showing much more neck. Steve Leonard Malden, MA scoter36@hotmail.com
3/25/2001 Plymouth
From the Scussett beach jetty Saturday 24 Mar.01, 8 Common loon 1 immature male, KING EIDER 30 Surf scoter 20 Sanderling 1 MERLIN, flying only a foot off the water, parallel to the beach. Dan Furbish
3/24/2001 Coast of NH
Common (several dozen) and Red Throated (a few) Loons Red-necked and Horned Grebes Double-crested (My first of the year) and Great Cormorants Long-tailed Duck Surf, White-winged and Black Scoters Common Eiders Bufflehead and Common Goldeneyes American Black Duck, Mallard and Pintail (seen by a few folks in the group) Common and Red-breasted Merganser (including copulation by a pair of the latter!!!) Snow Buntings No alcids NH Audubon Seacoast Chapter trips with 45 observers. Reported by Steve Mirick
3/24/2001 Cape Cod Report Blair Nikula
There are still thousands of alcids off of Truro and Provincetown (seems quite late for so many). Head of the Meadow Beach, Truro (0900 - 1000): 90 Red-throated Loons 200 N. Gannets 3 Black-legged Kittiwakes 4200+ large alcid species (several large rafts on water plus a steady stream flying north; as usual, those close enough to identify all seemed to be Razorbills) Race Point parking lot (1035 - 1100): 25 Red-throated Loons 150 N. Gannets 1 Black Guillemot 200 Razorbills 1000+ large alcid species (most flying west) I could find no murres at P'town Harbor today. Blair Nikula Photos of Murres by Blair http://people.ne.mediaone.net/odenews/murres.htm
3/23/01 Point Judith ,RI
KING EIDER about 50 yards out it was all by itself.From Stuart Keeble:
Nor'Easter 3/22
Notice that the day of the blow, better viewing at Cape Ann. The day after try First Encounter Beach.
3/23/2001 First Encounter Beach
First Encounter Beach was disappointing this morning (at least while I was there). From 0600 - 0730 I saw only: 70 N. Gannets, 190 Black-legged Kittiwakes. For anyone interested, I've just posted a couple of photos of side-by-side Common & Thick-billed Murres taken in Provincetown Harbor a couple of weeks ago. The link is: http://people.ne.mediaone.net/odenews/murres.htm Blair Nikula :odenews@mediaone.net
3/24/2001 Race Point, Provincetown , Truro
Race Point (1135 - 2 pm): 450 Red-throated Loon ,40 Common Loon, 2 Red-necked Grebe, 700 N. Gannet ,120 Canada Goose (far out over ocean) ,40 Brant ,2200 Red-breasted Merganser ,1 Piping Plover, 1 Iceland Gull ,1 Thick-billed Murre,2200 Razorbills (95% flying west), 500+ large alcid species (99% flying west), 2 Black Guillemot . P'town Harbor (wharfs, 230-3 pm): 10 Thick-billed Murre, Head of the Meadow Beach, Truro (4-415 pm): 40 Red-throated Loon 30 Common Loon 1 Horned Grebe 80 N. Gannets 1 Black-legged Kittiwake 80+ Razorbill 20 large alcid species Mike Powers, Russ Titus
3/22/3001 Rick Heil Andrews Point
Todays very strong nor'easter (E-NE winds 25-40 mph, with stronger gusts) produced lots of seabirds at ANDREW'S POINT in Rockport. A new high was achieved for Northern Fulmar and my previous March high count for Razorbill here was shattered. Visibility was a problem with the heavy rain and so nearly half the 2100+ large alcids noted today had to go unidentified. Watched from 0700-1415 hrs. The strongest intensity of bird movement was from 0730-1100, and by 1315 virtually nothing was passing by. Red-throated Loon (4) Common Loon (3) Horned Grebe (2) Red-necked Grebe (2) NORTHERN FULMAR (273): All light morph except for 7 dark morph individuals (2.6%). New high count; previous high being 237 on 2/24/98. Northern Gannet (214): all ads, except for 1-1W, 1-3W. Great Cormorant (6) Common Eider (295) Harlequin Duck (3) Surf Scoter (4) White-winged Scoter (24) Oldsquaw (73) Common Goldeneye (3) Red-breasted Merganser (13) Purple Sandpiper (2) LITTLE GULL (1 Adult winter plu.): Flew closely past with small flock of kittiwakes. Ross's Gull considered, but unfortunately quickly eliminated as a possibility-too bad! Herring Gull (45) Great Black-backed Gull (30) Black-legged Kittiwake (248): 65%-1W. large alcid sp. (890+) COMMON MURRE (3): All in basic (winter) plumage, all singles w/ flocks of Razorbills flying past. Thick-billed Murre (14) Razorbill (1210): about 30% in or near breeding plumage. More than 3x my previous March high count here. Black Guillemot (12) Rick Heil S.Peabody,MA rsheil@juno.com
3/20/2001 Jim Berry at Cape Ann
The weather was perfect (i.e., lousy for seabirds), but the calm water made for good viewing except into the sun. Here are the highlights: GANNET 80 (This was a surprise in the almost windless conditions, but they came by A.P. in a steady stream nw to se from about 1430-1530 when we left. Every one of them was an adult. Sometimes they come in close in nice weather for who knows what reason.) RING-NECKED DUCK 12 (Niles Pond) RUDDY DUCK 3 " HARLEQUIN DUCK 51 (One male wore two bands easily visible in scopes as some of them preened on rocks at A.P. at low tide in front of us. One was the usual FWS band on the right leg; the one on the left leg was bright yellow plastic with the characters LI, or maybe L1, on it. (The latter figure was a straight line without serifs.) If anyone knows who is banding harlequins I'd appreciate hearing about it. RED-BR. MERGANSER 90 (much courtship activity, always fun to watch--the males give one of the best courtship displays on record) DOVEKIE 1 (diving at our feet at base of Dog Bar breakwater on ocean side; photographed) THICK-BILLED MURRE 16 (all singles) RAZORBILL 16 (mostly in two groups) BLACK GUILLEMOT 33 (all but one in E. Gloucester) Jim
3/17/2001 Andrews Point
Warm sunny day with little wind. Not optimal for birds at Andrews Point. Thick-billed Murres (4). Razorbills (2) close to shore. Red-necked Grebe, Harlequin Ducks, Red-breasted Mergansers, Common Eiders. Emmalee Tarry
3/17/2001 Blair Nikula Outer Cape
Some miscellaneous sightings from the outer Cape this weekend (all but the last on Saturday, 3/17): Provincetown Harbor: 8 Thick-billed Murres (plus a ninth being gruesomely hammered by a Grt. B-B Gull - is there another predator so heavily reliant upon inflicting blunt trauma to subdue its prey?) Race Point parking lot (15"): 200 N.Gannets, 40 large alcid sp. Head of the Meadow, N.Truro (15"): 40 N.Gannets, 135 large alcid sp. (all flying north). Belles Neck Road, W.Harwich: 1 PECTORAL SANDPIPER (quite early), 6+ Killdeer, 7 Greater Yellowlegs, 1 Blue-winged Teal, 32 Green-winged Teal, 6 Gadwall, 1 N.Pintail Cow Yard, Chatham: 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (ad.) Blair Nikula --
3/14 Rye, NH Steve Mirick .
Bob Quinn and I did a very quick trip along the NH Coast late this afternoon. Quite brisk with very strong winds. Highlight was 5 Thick-billed Murres. Including 3 very close inside the rocks at Seal Rocks north of Wallis Sands, and 1 each near Little Boar's Head and at Bicentennial Park in Hampton. No signs of Common Murre or Dovekies
Blizzard March 2001 3/5-3/6 North East Winds continue 3/7
3/9/2001 Rye NH Steve Mirick
A Common Murre was seen this afternoon just south of Rye Ledge in Rye opposite the Faragat Hotel (My first for NH waters!!) It was well seen and quite close to shore and was joined by a Thick-billed Murre which swam to within a foot or two!! Incredible comparison!!!!!! And witnessed by several birders!
3/7/2001 Andrews Pt. -Rick Heil
Caught the tail end of this impressive Nor'easter at ANDREW'S POINT, ROCKPORT today (wish I could have been here yesterday at the storms height as well) and watched continuously from 0750 to 1515 hrs. The winds were NE 20-30, gradually shifting to N 15-25 during the course of the day, little or no precipitation but plenty of mist from the massive surf. Red-throated Loon (5) Common Loon (11) Horned Grebe (13) Red-necked Grebe (19): most northbound, flying into the wind. NORTHERN FULMAR (1): lt. morph. Great Cormorant (13) Common Eider (108) Harlequin Duck (4) White-winged Scoter (13) Black Scoter (13) Oldsquaw (21) Common Goldeneye (4) Red-breasted Merganser (3) Purple Sandpiper (75+): sum of three flocks flying SE. Ring-billed Gull (1) Herring Gull (30) "Kumlien's Iceland Gull" (3 ads.) Great Black-backed Gull (35) Black-legged Kittiwake (12): 1-1W. COMMON MURRE (1): "winter plumage"; on the water at very close range with a tight raft of 13 T-b.Murres. THICK-BILLED MURRE (485)-!!! Passing by NW to SE in loose flocks(as large as 20 or so) all day long, most very close to shore. The only larger flight ever previously recorded in MA was during the major irruption that took place along the MA coast during December 1976 and January 1977. During that flight, part of which I was fortunate to witness, several thousand were estimated in these same Rockport waters, as well as around Cape Cod. Hundreds were also seen at many less typical alcid spots all along the MA shore. I even recall observing a flock of 30 or so swimming up the Pines River under the General Edwards Bridge in Revere at the time. Today's count, of birds apparently exiting Ipswich Bay and returning to the open sea, coming as it does at the tail end of an intense and prolonged ocean storm that forced these flocks inshore, well displays this alcids highly pelagic nature in comparison to the much more coastally inclined Razorbill. Razorbill (33) large alcid sp. (65) Black Guillemot (22): Like Red-n. Grebe, most of these were flying NNW. Rick Heil rsheil@juno.com
3/7/2001 First Encounter Beach - Blair Nikula
Highlights from an hour and a half at First Encounter Beach early this morning (3/7) included extremely early Leach's Storm-petrel and phalaropes, and a nice show of kittiwakes. From 6:20 - 7:50 I saw: 1 N. Fulmar 1 Leach's Storm-petrel (as far as I know, the first March record for MA) 35 N. Gannets 9 phalarope sp. (one flock) 2,450 Black-legged Kittiwakes (40+% imm. - a sharp increase over the past couple of months; also one melanistic adult, about the color of a dark-phase fulmar!) 8 Razorbills 4 large alcid sp. Blair Nikula
3/5/2001 Andrews Point Rick Heil
Results of a seawatch at ANDREW'S POINT, ROCKPORT on Cape Ann today from 1040-1530 hours. Although I arrived rather late things didn't seem to really get going until 1100-1130. Winds were ENE 20-45 mph, with intermittent rain, snow, and freezing rain. Visibility ranged from 1/2 mile to more than two miles. Horned Grebe (1) NORTHERN FULMAR (126): 122 "light morph", 4 "dark morph" ; typical ratio for coastal MA ; It is just this sort of intense, long-duration storm that has consistently produced numbers of N. Fulmar here. This tubenose seems to occur during two main periods at Andrew's Point. In the fall from mid September through mid December, during which I have recorded it on 16 of 67 seawatches (24%), and in the spring, from early February to early April (5 of 13 seawatches, 38%) when the high count is of 237 on 2/24/98, very close to the current date. This may indicate that mid-Feb to mid-March is when the peak of northbound migrants occurs offshore. It is unrecorded here on six January seawatches. Northern Gannet (76): all adults. Great Cormorant (9) Common Eider (25) Harlequin Duck (1) Black Scoter (28) Oldsquaw (1) Herring Gull (12) Great Black-backed Gull (8) Black-legged Kittiwake (91): approx. 80 "adults", 11-1W. COMMON MURRE (3) Thick-billed Murre (2) Razorbill (7) large alcid sp. (3) Black Guillemot (3) Rick Heil rsheil@juno.com
3/5/2001 BBC Cape Ann Trip Report
The BBC trip to Cape Ann had 47 species with the following Highlights: ATLANTIC PUFFIN 1 (at the Eastern Point Coast Guard Station) Thick billed Murre 2 Razorbill 2 Black Guillemot 9 Black headed Gull 1 Snow Goose 1 Eared Grebe 1 Barrow's Goldeneye 1 Common Goldeneye 76 Red throated Loon 1 Harlequin Duck 29 Long tailed Duck 4 Reported by Linda Ferraresso
3/3//2001 Cape Ann
Susan Hedman and Geoff Wood found an Atlantic Puffin along Braces Cove in Gloucester at about 12:30pm.
2/21/2001 NH Coast
Walter Bosse and Dennis Abbott tallied the following on a NH coast trip. Thick-billed Murre, 2, floating on a relatively calm Piscataqua River off Fort Constitution in New Castle; Razorbill, 8, five in flight off Pulpit Rock heading north and another three in flight at Great Boars Head also heading north; Dovekie, 1, just north of Ragged Neck in Rye;
2/19/2001 Cape Ann, MA
2 Dovekies flying by Andrews Pt.; and, at the limit of conjecture, also 6 probable Dovekies flying, 2 Black Guillemots: breeding plumage at Andrews Pt., juv. outside an obscure breakwater in Rockport ,1 Thick-billed Murre at Hallibut Pt., 1 Great Cormorant flying by Hallibut Pt., 1 Razorbill inside the Eastern Point breakwater in Gloucester, pointed out by a large group of birders from Pennsylvania. Report by Robert Maxwell
2/19/2001 Cape Ann, MA
Highlights among 43 species while birding along Cape Ann yesterday 2/19/01: Horned Grebe 10+, Red-necked Grebe 2, Black Guillemot 4 Atlantic ave, Brant 8 in flight atlantic Ave ,Gadwall 30+ ,Thick-billed Murre 3 ( 1 in very close @ andrews and 1 close @ Halibut pt.), Razorbill 7 (andrews/Halibut), N. Gannett 6 (Andrew's/Halibut) ,Harlequin Duck 26 (Rockport) ,Carolina Wren 1 singing in Gloucester, Iceland Gull 2 ad. Andrew's ,,Harbor Seal 30+ including 21 on Kettle Island Reported by: Tom Pirro
2/16/2001 NH Coast
Peregrine Falcon - 1 adult on the Memorial Bridge in Portsmouth. Just missed a pigeon after a neat dive! Short-eared Owl - 1 feeding at 2:00 in the dunes near the bridge on the Seabrook/Hampton town line. Thick-billed Murre - 2 seen from parking lot on south side of Great Boar's Head Razorbill - 2 from Little Boar's Head. Feeding together. Way out. Black Guillemot - 8 including 4 from Great Boar's Head and 1 each at 4 other locations. Northern Harrier - 1 female near Fantinis Restaurant in Seabrook Merlin - 1 sitting on Tree Swallow box in Hampton marshes Most noteworthy was a young HOODED SEAL seen on the docks at the Wentworth Marina. Thanks to Patti Abbott and Denny Abbot, I got a chance to see this creature this afternoon. It was after 5:00 PM and it was snowing, but the shots came out alright. The seal is a young one (about 11 months old?) with a blue back and white underneath and a dark face. Quite unlike the adults. http://www.nh.ultranet.com/~mirick/Photos/seal1.jpg http://www.nh.ultranet.com/~mirick/Photos/seal2.jpg Steve Mirick Newmarket, NH Reported by Steve Mirick
2/10/2001 Nantucket
Edith Andrews, Marcia Aguiar and I had the good fortune to be at the right place at the right time today to observe a fabulous concentration of gulls. With a NW wind and a tide influenced current flowing to the N, huge numbers of gulls flocked to Codfish Park and Low Beach on the Sconset end of the Island to feed in the water close in to shore. Numbers of gulls were wonderful today with Herring Gulls estimated at easily 3,000 plus and Bonaparte's Gulls topping 5,000 individuals. For those of you familiar with this stretch of beach, the gulls stretched from at least Sankaty Light to the Sconset Sewer beds and most likely beyond. Do to the swiftly flowing current running parallel to the beach we stood at Codfish Park and just watched the gulls as they flew and floated by, rather than hiking the beach. Among the Bonaparte's and Herring gulls were of course some goodies. At least a dozen Iceland Gulls were seen, as well as 5 Lesser Black-backed gulls. Stealing the show however were 6 Little Gulls (4 adults, 1 second winter and 1 first winter). 5 of these birds wheeled by in about a half hour's time with the first winter's bird seen about 1 hour later. All of the Little gulls were first spotted on the outer edges of groups of flying Bonaparte's Gulls, usually either slightly higher or lower than the Bonaparte's. Several were watched landing on the water and feeding. Among other observations of interest were, a Bonaparte's Gull with a very dark head. Not as dark as a summer plumage bird, but very dark indeed. Less than 10 Greater Black-backed Gulls were tallied by this observer from 1-4pm at this location. Conspicuous by their absence were Common Black-headed Gulls who can often be seen along this stretch of beach. A gull, that to this observer looked startlingly like a second winter Mew Gull was also seen. I want to say right off the bat that I have never seen a Mew Gull, but that I have been doing my "gull homework" and am quite confident that this bird was not a Ring-billed Gull. My fellow observers and I had quite good looks at this individual and 2 of us were able to relocate this bird as it shifted its feeding position several times. This bird was also seen by myself on 2/6 at this same location. Several photos were attempted today, but in the gale winds I don't hold out much hope for anything terrific! Additional observations and more photos of this bird will of course be a must. For any Yellow-legged Gull or Lesser Black-backed / Herring Gull hybrid fans out there, no suspicious characters have been seen lately. Those of us looking continue to be amazed however, at the wide variety in Herring Gull plumage that careful observations reveal. Edie Ray ackbird@aol.com Nantucket, Ma.
2/10/2001 Rhode Island
From Wayne Munns: 2/10 This morning at BeavertailI had (in 30 minutes): 14 DOVEKIE (!) 1 RAZORBILL 3 surf scoter 4 white-winged scoter 11 harlequin duck 2 common eider (both male) numerous BONAPARTE'S gull, red-throated loon, common loon In the parking lot across from Scarborough: 1 first year ICELAND GULL At Pt. Judith (there only for five minutes): 1 RAZORBILL numerous gannet
From Tom Sieter: 2/10 At Beavertail: 25-30 RAZORBILLS, 1 DOVEKIE, HARLEQUIN DUCKS, 36 PURPLE SANDPIPERS, and a RED-THROATED LOON! At Sachuest there was 1 KESTRAL, WHITE-WINGED and SURF SCOTERS, HARLEQUIN DUCKS, and more.
BBC Trip Andrews Point
Andrews Point: 4 - DOVKIE and 3 - THICK-BILLED MURRE located about 500+ feet from the rocks allowing for great looks and elevating the spirits of wind-weary birders who managed to make it this far into the trip! We also saw flocks of PURPLE SANDPIPERS flying to and fro, Horned Grebes, and Harlequin Ducks. Laura de la Flor
2/5/2001 Andrew's Point, Rockport Rick Heil
From 0735-1030, 1130-1445 hrs.Weather: A.M.: Mostly cloudy, E wind 5-15 mph, PM: Overcast, rain after 1330, winds increasing to E 12-25 mph, shifting to ENE by 1400 hrs. Common Loon (5) Red-necked Grebe (3) Northern Gannet (16): Mostly ads, 1-1W: Typically scarce here during February, even this small number more than usual for this date. Great Cormorant (9) Am. Black Duck (6) Common Eider (65) Harlequin Duck (25) Surf Scoter (21) White-winged Scoter (26) Black Scoter (2) Oldsquaw (4) Red-breasted Merganser (6) Purple Sandpiper (4) Ring-billed Gull (5) Herring Gull (250+) "Kumlien's Iceland Gull" (1ad.) Great Black-b. Gull (40+) Black-legged Kittiwake (240): All "ads" except 1-1W. COMMON MURRE (6): All flying past singly; my highest single day count. Traditionally this bird has vied with Atlantic Puffin for being the rarest of Massachusetts regularly occurring alcids in inshore waters, although both seem to have increased somewhat in recent years. Still it is certainly not to be expected on any given seawatch. Since 1975, I have recorded it on 9 out of 45 seawatches(20%) conducted between Nov-Mar. Thick-billed Murre (13) Razorbill (188) large alcid sp. (23) Black Guillemot (4): One in breeding plu. Rick Heil S. Peabody, MA rsheil@juno.com
2/4/2001 Race Point Blair Nikula
I took advantage of the nearly windless conditions today to walk out to Race Point in Provincetown and experienced one of the most impressive Razorbill shows I've ever seen. When I first arrived at the Race Point parking lot the water was covered with alcids, some in rafts of 100+ birds, and flocks were flying both east (mostly) and west. Almost all were unusually close to shore, some within 100 yards or so (for a change, I could actually identify most of them to species!). In my first scan, I counted roughly 4,000 birds. By the time I returned to the parking lot around noon, the number of alcids in view had declined considerably, but a mass of mergansers had appeared. The comings and goings of seabirds in this area continues to mystify (but what a delightful mystery it is!). The only murres I could find were out near the point. My totals (from 0850 - 1210 hrs.): 15 R-T Loons 2 (only) Common Loons 5 Red-necked Grebes 2 (only) N. Gannets 2,000 R-b Mergansers 15 B-L Kittiwakes 5 Iceland Gulls 8,000 Razorbills 3+ Common Murres 3+ Thick-billed Murres 1 Black Guillemot Last Saturday (1/27) in 40 minutes of scoping off the Race Point parking lot I counted 2,400 alcids, so this concentration has been there for a while. I also saw 1900 alcids off of Head of the Meadow beach in Truro that day, but relatively few there today. Blair Nikula -- 2 Gilbert Lane, Harwich Port, MA 02646 mailto:odenews@mediaone.net Dragonflies and Damselflies of Cape Cod http://www.capecod.net/~bnikula/odenews.htm
2/3/2001 Cape Ann Report Fred Bouchard
A morning run around Cape Ann produced more TB Murres than I've seen in 3 years. Highlights by locale. Rowley Shore: TB Murre (2, flyby, a rare sight there); King Eider (m) back with WW Scoters (30). Seaside Cemetery: no-show Screech Owl. Andrews: Razorbill (4, flyby), BL Kittiwake, N Gannet, Dovekie, P Sandpiper (12+40), TB Murre (2, 1 right off the w shoreline, could see his white gape-line, studied 20 minutes; other feeding at 200 yds. (Vales had 2 flyby Puffins before I arrived). Pigeon Cove: Dovekie (sitting, no swells). Straightmouth Is: TB Murre & B Gullemot (3) off S. peninsula. Loblolly Cove: C Eider (30), very dark RN Grebe, H Grebe (2), Oldsquaw LT Duck (4), C Loon (6). Bass Rox Elks: H Grebe (20), all Scoter species (2 Black). Niles Beach: Eared Grebe (best look in 2 winters, under 100 yards off #34 ("Rambo"), dark-backed, high-rumped, and sassy.) E Point: B Guillemot, 30 Gadwall. Fred Bouchard
12/12/2000 Andrews Point Rick Heil
Although it is true that E or NE winds are consistently the most productive for viewing seabirds at Andrew's Point, one thing I've learned, especially in recent years, is that when it's very windy often there are birds passing the point regardless of wind direction. When I arrived at 0800 the winds were SSW 25-35mph (est.), shifting to SW and then WSW between 1000 and 1100 and increasing to 30-45mph (in gusts), then shifting further to W and relenting slightly to 25-35mph from 1300-1400 hrs. There was no precipitation and visibility was very good. Nearly all birds moving past NW to SE. Red-throated Loon (3) Common Loon (7) Red-necked Grebe (7) GREATER SHEARWATER (9): Like last year, small numbers persisting into December. Northern Gannet (140): no juvs. Great Cormorant (7) Canada Goose (165): Sum of 5 flocks, each arriving (struggling) off the ocean from the N or NE. Common Eider (45) Harlequin Duck (15): locals Surf Scoter (4) White-winged Scoter (16) Oldsquaw (8) Common Goldeneye (1) Red-breasted Merganser (8) Purple Sandpiper (18) POMARINE JAEGER (4): Have proven to be regular through early December. Bonaparte's Gull (10) Ring-billed Gull (1) Herring Gull (100) Great Bl-b. Gull (30) Black-legged Kittiwake (330): all close birds were adults or 2W. Dovekie (1) Thick-billed Murre (1) Razorbill (445) Black Guillemot (11) Rick Heil S. Peabody, MA rsheil@juno.com
12/10/2000 Race Point Blair Nikula
I made a pleasant, but rather uneventful hike out to Race Point in Provincetown yesterday morning. The large numbers of gulls and gannets that had been feeding in the surf in recent weeks were no longer in evidence. Highlights were: 10 N. Gannets 1-2 jaeger species 50+ Black-legged Kittiwakes 6 Iceland Gulls 30 Razorbills 300 large alcid species 1 Merlin In Provincetown Harbor: 2 Laughing Gulls (ad.) 1 Iceland Gull